The present invention relates, in general, to a method and apparatus for maintaining and improving the growth density of turf grass root systems in residential lawns, commercial lawns, athletic fields, recreational areas including golf courses and agricultural fields used for cattle grazing or hay production.
The invention described and claimed provides a more efficient and cost effective way of applying a variety of naturally occurring mineral based aggregates and soil amendments in a system which greatly improves the growing conditions for ornamental grass areas. In addition, the apparatus disclosed for these applications is of a unique design, which greatly improves growing conditions of grass turf and other planting materials by increasing the depth and density of the plant""s root system. In addition, the efficiency of the process can be seen particularly in the application of granular aggregates as well as compost, fertilizer and other soil amendments.
To improve the appearance of an ornamental lawn it is desirable to eliminate the harmful effects of the thatch of dead grass and clippings which accumulate during the life of the lawn. In the past, this was accomplished by xe2x80x9cdethatchingxe2x80x9d using power rakes or hand rakes to loosen the thatch and then raking the thatch from the lawn and disposing of it in a land fill or other dumping areas. This operation is time consuming as well as labor intensive. Since lawn improvements are most effective if carried out during the peak growing season, the labor described above is, of necessity done in hot and often humid weather conditions.
Another step in the traditional methods of lawn improvements is to deliver any materials to be applied to the lawn by truck and dump them in a pile on the site. Next, the material must be shoveled into wheelbarrows or distribution apparatus to be applied to the lawn. Again, the process is labor intensive and must be done under adverse weather conditions. If the shoveling task is to be avoided in the present systems, a front-end loader or similar machine must be trucked to the site for loading the distribution machine and picked up after the job is finished; another time consuming and costly event for the contractor.
The present invention also discloses a system including the order of application of various aggregates and amendments, which give the optimum growing conditions for ornamental grasses. If certain soil amendments are applied in the wrong sequence in the process or are not covered quickly by the next application, their effectiveness is diminished or totally lost.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by improving the efficiency of distribution of the materials to be applied to the lawn as well as using a specific order of application and selection of materials, which may be varied according to site conditions.
With the present invention any materials which are to be spread on the area are delivered to the site in a unique vehicle which allows the materials to be loaded directly into the final distribution machine thereby eliminating the labor intensive shoveling as well as speeding up the time for completing the job.
After application of the materials, they are smoothed using a unique drag screen which spreads the material evenly over the treated area and leaves a smooth eye-appealing surface.
Finally, this system disclosed herein provides a systematic method for applying the materials in the order that will give the most benefit to the growing area treated.